Machine for printing designs on floor covering



May l, 1928.

1,668,322 H. C. KESSLER, JR

MACHINE FOR PRINTING DESIGNS ON FLOOR COI/BRING4 Filed April. 12, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 1 IE"|'"= May 1, 192s.

H. C. KESSLER, JR

MACHINE FOR PRINTING DESIGNS ON FLOOR COVERING Filed April 12. 1927 4 sheets-sheet 2 NNN/NNN 2 ,lfm/iwi Ver May i, 1928, 1,668,322

H. C. KESSLER, JR

MACHINE'FOR PRINTING DESIGNS ON FLOOR COVERING Filed vApril l2, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ooooonao,

M@ Harry JJV, I 5V May 1, 192s. 1,668,322

H. C. KESSLER, JR

MACHINE FOR RINTING DESIGNS ON FLOOR COVERING Filed Abril l2, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 'fio Patented May 1, 1928.

PATENT' OFFICE.

HARRY C. IKESSLER, JR., OF WARRINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FO'R PRINTING DESIGNS 0N FLOOR COVERING.-

Application filed April 12, 1927. Serial No. 183,023.

by means of a spray. The quick dryingqualit-ies of these compositions, which give them a decided advantage, overpaints and varnishes in many uses, make it diilicult to adapt them to color-printing. My improved machine is, however, especially adapted to .utilize such compositions in multi-color printing on sheet material unwound from rolls, and, in fact, advantage is takenv of the Vquick-drying properties of the compositions to enable the different colors to be appliedsuccessively, but in a continuous operation, with provisions for drying after t-he application of one color and before the application of Ythe next color, and so that the printed product will be, at the conclusion of the operation, in finished condition Vready for transportation and use.- 4 l Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in thedrawings, in wliich- Fig. 1 is a face view of a section of a printing block. Fig. 2is a fragmentary perspective View, partly broken away, of one of ,the cylinders, a printing block applied thereto, and means providing air conduits and channels cominunicatingwith the pockets of the printing block.

Fig. 3 is an end view, partly in section, ofa cylinder carrying printing blocks and of the ink-supplying, sheet-feeding. and residual ink-removing devices associated therewith.

Fig. 4 isa longitudinal section of a pai-t of a die from which the matrix for the` printing block is formed. p

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a part of such matrix.

FigQ isa similar view of a part of such print-ine" block.; l

Figa? isa side elevation of a cylinder. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an end view It is intended that cylinders,

.each cylinder is a of a number of cylinders and the feed rolls associated therewith, and showing the Way in which the linoleum or other sheet material is fed to and from each cylinder.

Fig. 9 is a-bottom vie-W of a positively driven feed roll and of part of the correspending cylinder.

Figl'l() is a longitudinal section of part of the mold blocks with a matrix between them, the mold being adapted to form a channeled printing block.

Fig. l1 is a longitudinal sectional view of part of the printing block formed in the mold of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12, isa cross-sectional view of part of a smooth faced cylinder and of the printing blocl of Fig. 1l applied thereto.

, ln Fig. 8 is shown a series of rotatable a, b and c, carrying printing blocks on their peripheries (as hereinafter described). Adjacent to the periphery of air of lfeed rolls or pulleys d and e, of wif be anvidler. Each driven pulle d is provided, at each opposite end, wit a circumferential row of sprocket pins f adapted to engage spaced apart holes near the longitudinal edge of a sheet of linoleum of indelinite length. Therebythe. linoleum is fed into printing contact with thefi'nked face of the cylinder at a rat-e precis'ely'lgcorrespondin'g to the peripheral speed of rotation of the cylinder.

In passing from one cylinder to another, the sheet material is shown as being allowed to form itself into 'a festoon y. The festooned length of sheet material 'should be a definite. one. Assuming that two printing ich one (d) should be positively driven and the other (ev) should ill) blocks, each of an arcuatelengtli of 180,v l

and each comprising one re eat of the pattern, are applied toeach bock, the length of the sheet materialv between one line of printing Contact on cylindenaand a line of printing contact on cylinder b should be an Y exact multiple of the arcuate length of the printing block. The sprocketedconnection4 between the feed rolls and the sheet material enables the length of mate-rial between successive cylinders to be accurately predetermined and maintained const-ant. The feed rolls may be positioned above the cylinders instead of below them, which modication requires no special illustration, or would be illustrated if the drawing were inverted. llt is'not intended to exclude the llO provision of guide or supporting rolls over which the sheet materialmay travel in going from one cylinderto the next, but such provision is not required if the feed rolls are arranged beneath the cylinders. 1t is decidedly preferred to associate a plurality of feed rolls with each cylinder, so that the sheet material mayfcontact 'with the printing block on the cylinder for a measurable or substantial time, although a line contact as distinguished from a segmental Contact might be operative.

` Each println block 10 (see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6) should e of a len th about equal to that of the cylinder. Eac printing block is of segmental shape and its concave. side conforms, in shape and size, to the periphery of the cylinder and should have such width, measured in the direction in which it is curved, that an equal number of them (two or more) will just encircle the cylinder. vEach block is provided with a number of recesses or pockets 11 opening on the convex side of the block. As shown, the pockets are square in cross-section and pyramidal, or frusto-pyramidal, in shape, the bases of vthe pyramids (the mouths of the pockets) opening; on the convex or outer face of the block while the apices of the pyramids (the contracted bottoms of the pockets) communicate with the back of the block by means of orifices 12. Adjacent walls ofadjacent pockets slope toward about a common line; `that is, the mouths of adjacent pockets are, preferably, spaced apart only nominal distances. rlhe pockets are arranged in intersecting rows which (if the mouths of the pocket are square, as shown) extend lengthwise and circumferentially. The pockets may have other cross-sectional contours and the rows may extend in other directions. F or example, they may be hex-V agonal, in which case the pockets would be arranged in rows extending 1n three daderent directions.

lf it is intended that an entire block shall print a single color, the'entire surface of the block should be pocketed, as shownin Fig. 1.. iff, however, it is desired to print only on predetermined fractional areas of the surface of the sheet material as in the printing of designs), the remaining areas should be blocked out in one or both of two ways. 1f the area to be bloclred'out is small, l prefer that it should be done, as shown at 13 in Figs. 2 and 6, by making this area ofthe bioclr solid. 1f the'area. to be bloclred out is comparatively large, it is feasible to do vit by making one large and iniperforate ocket, as shown at la in Figs. 2 and 6; it leing impossible for a large size pocket to ll with inlr, or to remain filled with ink until it contacts with the surface of the sheet material.

The preferred method of manufacturing 'rossana ,the blocks will be hereinafter described. As-

sumin that the blocks have been made, as

descri ed, by any method, they are secured y to the surface of the cylinder, as shownin ferred. As the pocketed areas of the b ook contact with a roller g, they fill with ink. llhe air-escape orifices 12 in the bottoms of the pockets (which are open to air channels as hereinafter described) prevent the air in the pockets from resisting the inflow of ink; that is. they allow the free outflow of air at the bottoms of thepockets and the free `inflow of ink intothe mouths of the pockets.

Before the ink-containing pockets contact with the linoleum, they z', which may remove excess ink from the pockets.- The main function of the scraper, however, is toremove any ink that may adhere to the plain (unpocketed) surfaces 13 of the printing block.

When theink-containing pockets reach the feed rollers, the ink therein, or a substantial part thereof, is transferred to the sheet material. The two-roller feed arrangement allows pressure contact between each longitudinal row of ink-containing pockets and the linoleum during a substantial part of` a revolution ofthe cylinder. This may not always be essential, but it insures a transfer of ink from every pocket and a more nearly complete draining; of each pocket.

Upon breakingr Contact with the linoleum, the pockets of the printing block maynot be completely drained. To insure complete elimination of inkfrom these pockets, the printing block, in its further rotation, confacts with a roller turningu in a reservoir c of a solvent for the ink. Beyond roller j a roller m removes and carries away the solution, and a scrapern' removes the solution that has been taken up by roller m. i

ln order that the orifices 12 co1nmunicating with the bottoms of pockets 11 may have free vent, channels are formed between the rear face of the block and the periphery of the cylinder. Ylhese channels may be formed inthe peripheryof the cylinder, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7, or ein the rear wall of the blocks, as shown in Figs. 11 and l2, and they may entend in any suitable direction. It is preferred, however, that they shall extend longitudinally, for reasons that will hereafter develop, and that thereshall be one channel for each longitudinal row of orifices ride over a scraper llo `lli

`rotation ot the cylinder.

l2. These channels are shown as' grooves o 'and they may be vented in any desired way.

inder and toarrange theseperforations in.

a circumferential row or rows; and 'it in rows, to arrange'therows within one or more zones ot restricted width, as shown in Fig. 7.

'l'he perforations ot' restrictedwidth in order to facilitate the application oi air lpressure or air suction, as the'case may be, at differentpointsin the rl`hus', it is` desirable to apply suction, which may be slight, to the pocketsy 11 'while they are contactingwith the inking rollers-g. To provide-tor this, l arrange a stationary suction chamber r opening against the inner wall of the cylinder, opposite the inking rollers g, so as to exhaust ai'r through the pockets 1.1.,orices 12, channels o and perforations g). This suction will be operative, at any given time, only in those pockets `l1 that are open to the channels that communicate with the perlorations p that, at such time, commun1- cate with the suction chamber. In other words, the suction will be operative only in those pockets that, at any given time, are opposite the inking rollers or are just approaching, or leaving, the inking rollers.

A 'lhe number of rows of pockets in which the v.io

, suction is simultaneously operative obviously depends on the arcuate length of the suction chamber r. j Y lt is, or may be, desirable' to apply air 'pressure to the pockets 11 while they are in contact with the linoleum. To' provide for this, I arrange, opposite the feed rollers d and e, a pressure 'chamber s opening against the inner wall ofthe cylinder'. This pressure chamber is of an arcuate lenvth .v corresponding to the len th of linoleum that is in contact with the printingblock.

It is especially advantageous to apply air pressure to the pockets` 11 after they travel beyond the feed rollers, in order to expel, or facilitate the expulsion'of, residual ink. In

case a'solventfor the ink is applied to the printing block by' means of the rollers j or otherwise, av pressure chamber t' 1s arranged beyond the line of application of the solvent,

preferably -op osite the` solutionremoving roller m if suc a roller be used.

Thepresure chambers -8 and t may be connected, through radial tubes u u, with the tube v within the hollow driving shaft of the cylinder, which tube may be'suitably conncctedto a source of pressure. The-suction 4chamber r may be connected, through n a radial tube w, with a tube a: within the tube fv, whichF tube w may be connected to a source of suction.

are arranged in azone l The printing bloclrs may be made'in diflerent'ways.v One preferred way (referel'ice'` being made to Figs. 4l, l5 and 6) is to provide. a die 20, which may be of metal. This die is provided with )ookets 21 and orifices 22 cm'responding to t e pockets and orifices ot' the printing block to be molded or cast.

lFromfthisdie is produced a matrix of papienmach or other suitable tlexible material. IThe matrix is then placed between two curved concentric mold blocks (similar to mold blocks 40,41, Fig. 10, except that thel wall of the inner mold is not grooved). The diameter ot' the convex wall ot the inner mold corresponds to that of the cylinder (L (or h or c). The materialo which the vprinting bloclr is formed is molded or cast between the 'matrix '30 and the inner mold, thereby forming the block 10, a section of which is shown in Fig. 6, and which is adapted to tit the cylinder.

ln order to block out any Vpocket in the printing block l0, a pyramidal-shaped plug :23 having a contour corresponding to a pocket 2l, 'is inserted in suolii poclcet before forming'thc matrix. Pl`he matrix will then be formed with a depression 33 between its pyramidal projections and the printing block 10 will be formed with the unpockcted surface i3.

In order to provide a multi-sized pocket lll in the plrintng block, a papiersmch pyramidal-s aped plug 34e is inserted Ain spaces between adjacent pyramids of .the`

matrix and the adjacent teats 32 (molds for the orilices l2) are cut od.. The. printing block will then be 'formed with the multi. sized impert'orate-bottomed'pocket 14. 4

' It is possible, and it may` be desirable, to

form thelongitudinal air -channels in the ridges. Hence the molded block 60, Fig'. .11,

contains longitudinally extending grooves ($5, which perform the function of the channels 0 in the cylinder. lThe cylinder, in such case, is made with a smooth periphery.

In `actual' practice, the ocllets 10 will usually be formed with si es more nearly parallel to the radius, and of greater depth relatively to their width, than the drawings indicate; ratherwide and shallow pockets being shown in order to illustrate more clearly the principle of construction. The orilices 12 may be of any length. The pockets may extend virtually to the rear ofsthe printing block, and -in that case orifices 12 may be holes of'only two dimensions.V

The drawings and thel foregoing description set 'forth many details which are not essential to a practical embodiment of the invention, and it should be understood that they are not to be inferentially imported, when not expressed', into the claims.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for printing designs on felt base floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening in the convex face of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, an ink-supplyingdevice with which the mouths of the pockets are brought into ink-receiving relation in the rotation of the cylinder, and means to feed the sheet material into contact with successive parts of the face of the block in the rotation of the cylinder.

2. ln a machine for printing designs .on felt base floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing bloclr mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having months opening in the convex face or the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, and air channels between the cylinder and block each communicating with a plurality of'said oriices.

3. ln' a machine for printing designs on felt base ioor coverin and-other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having months opening in the convex face of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, and longitudinally extendlng air channels between the cylinder and block, the cylinder being provided with perforations communicating with said air channels..

4. In a machine for printing designs on felt base tioor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block having aV multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening in the convex face of the blocks, there being orilices opening in the rear ot the blocks and communicating with the pockets, longitudinally extending air channels between the cylinder and block, the cylinder being provided with perforations ronnnunicating with said air channels, and a stationary air chamber opening against the inner wall of the cylinder and communieating, in the rotation of the cylinder, with perfor-ations communicating with successive air channels.

5. lira machine for printing designs on felt base floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate Lacasse printing block mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening in the convex :tace of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, an ink-supplying device wit-h which the mouths of the pockets are brought into ink-receiving relation in the rotation of the cylinder, means to feed the sheet material into Contact with successive parts of the face ofthe block in the rotation of the cylinder, there being longitudinally extending air channels between the cylinder and block, the cylinder being provided with perforations communicating with said air channels, a stationary air chamber'v opening against the inner wall of the cylinder and positioned opposite the ink-supplying device, and means providing a conduit through which air may be exhausted from said pockets, oritices channels erforations and air chambei.

6. ln a machine Jfor printing designs on felt base floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening in the convex face of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, an ink-supplying device with which the mouths of thepockets are brought into ink-receiving relation in the rotation of the cylinder, means to .feed the sheet material into contact with successive parts of the face ot the block in the rotation of the cylinder, there being longitudinally extending air channels between the c linder and block, the cylinder being provi( ed with perforations communicating with said air channels, a stationary air chamber opening against the inner wall of the cylinder opposite the locus of Contact between the face of the block and the sheet material, and means providing a conduit through which air under pressure may be conveyed through said chamber, perforations, channels, orifices and pockets.

7. ln a machine for printing designs on felt base floor covering and other sheet materia-ll, a'rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening in the-convex face of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the yockets, an ink-supplying device with whic the mouths of the pockets are brought into ink-receiving relation in the rotation of the cylinder, means to eed the sheet material into contact with successive parts of the tace of the block in 'the rotation of the cylinder, and means, located between the inksupplying device and the locus of feed ofthe sheet material to the face of the printing lll() 'felt base floor covering and other4 sheet titi block, ada ted to remove superfluous ink from said locks 8. In a machine for printing designs on material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate rinting block mounted thereon, said blockaving a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening inthe convex face of the block, there being orificesv openingin the rear ,of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, an ink-supplying device with which the mouths of the pockets are brought into ink-receiving relation in the rotation of the cylinder, means to :t'eed the sheet material into contact with successive parts of the face of the block in the rotation of the cylinder, and means, located beyond the locus of feed of the sheet material to the face of the block, to remove residual ink" from the pockets.

9. In a machine for printing designs on elt base floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having Amouths opening in the convex face of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, an ink-supplying device with which the mouths f the pockets are brought into ink-receiying relation in the rotation of the cylinder, means to feed the sheet material into contact with successive parts of the face of the block in the rotation of the cylinder, an ink solvent supplying device located beyond the locus of feed of the sheet material `to the face of the4 block, and solution-eliminating means located beyond the ink solvent supplying device.

10. In a machine for printing designs on felt base floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinder and an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening-in the convex face of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, an ink-supplying device with which the mouths of the pockets are brought into ink-receiving relation in the rotation of the cylinder, means to feed the sheet material into Contact Wit-h successive parts of the face of the block in the rotation of the cylinder, there being longitudinally extending air channels between the cylinder and block, the cylinder being provided with perforations communicating with said air channels, a stationary air channel opening against the inner wall of the cylinder beyond the locus of contact between the face of the block and the sheet material, and means providing a conduit `through which air may be conveyed through said chamber, perforations, channels, orifices and pockets.

ll. ln a machine for printing designs ou' felt base floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable printing block mounted thereon, said block havingl a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening in the convex face of the block, there being orifices opening in the rear of the blocks and communicating with the pockets, an ink-supplying device with which the mouths of the pockets are brought into ink-receiving relation in the rotation of the cylinder, means to feed the sheet material into Contact with successive parts of the face of the block in the rotation ofthe cylinder, there being longitudinally extending air channels between the cylinder' and block, the cylinder being provided with perforations communicating with said air channels, an ink. solvent supplyinfr device locatedbeyond the locus of feed of the sheet material to the face of the block, a stationary air chamber opening der and located beyond the solvent-supplying device` and means roviding a conduit through which air may e conveyed through said chamber,perforations, channels, oriiices and pockets to facili-tate the expulsion of the solution of residual ink and solvent from the pockets.

l2'. ln a machine fior printing designs on telt base floor covering-and other material, a rotatable cylinder and a printing-block of an arcuate contour corresponding to that of the cylinder and mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets of pyramidal shape, the mouths of the pockets opening in the face of the block, there being orifices between the narrower bottoms of the pockets and the rear of the block, and air channels communicating with said orifices. y

13. In a machine for 'printing designs on felt base floor covering and other material, a rotatable cylinder and a printing block'ot an arcuate contour corresponding to that of the cylinder and mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of similar pockets ot` pyramidal shape, the mouths of the pockets opening in the .face 'of the block, there being orifices between the narrower bottoms of the pockets and the rear of the blockrand air channels communicating with said orifices, the adjacent walls ot adjacent pockets having their outer edges substantially coincident.

'14. In a machine for printing designs on felt base floor covering and other material,

cylinder and an arcuate' against the inner wall ot the cylinllu a rotatable cylinder and a printing block of an arcuate contour corresponding to that of the cylinder and mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of pyramidalshaped pockets of like size with substantially contiguous mouths and having unpocketed areas separating certain ot the pockets.

15. In a machine for printing designs on felt base floor covering and other material,

a rotatable cylinder and a printing block of an arcuate contour corresponding to that of the cylinder and mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of our-sided pyramidal-shaped pockets. ot like size arranged in intersecting rows.

16. ln a machine for printing designs on felt hase floor covering and other material, a rotatable cylinder and a printing block of an arcuate 'contour corresponding to that of the cylinder and mounted thereon, said block, having a multitude of four-sided pyramidalshaped pockets of like size arranged in intersecting rows, and having also unpocketed areas interrupting rows of pockets.

17. ln a machine for printing designs on felt base door covering and other material, a rotatable cylinder and a printing block of an arcuate contour corresponding to that of the cylinder and mounted thereon, said block having a multitude of relatively small four-sided pyramidalshaped pockets of like size arranged in intersecting rows and having also relatively large pockets interrupting said rows of pockets, each of said larger pockets having an area substantially equal to the area of a non-fractional plurality of smaller pockets.

18. ln a machine for printing designs on Lacasse felt base door covering and other sheet material, a series of rotatable cylinders and arcuate` printingy blocks mounted thereon, each block having a multitude of similar vented pockets having mouths opening in the convex face of the block, ink-supplying devices associated with the respective cylinders, and sheet-feeding mechanism adapted to bring the sheet material into contact progressively with printing blocks of successive cylinders, said feeding mechanism cornprising means to provide, between longitudinal lines of printing contact of successive cylinders, a length of sheet materia-l which is an exact multiple ot' the arcuate length of a printing block.

19. ln a lnachine for printing designs on felt hase floor covering and other sheet material, a rotatable cylinderand an arcuate printing block mounted thereon, said block lhaving a multitude of similar pockets having mouths opening in the convex face of the block and provided with air vents through the rear of the block.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Pa., on this 8th day of April, 1927.

HARRY C. KESSLER, Jn. 

